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When I first heard about Uncharted (the first game)I could not have cared less, but only because I didn’t have a PS3. One day I went to my friend’s house and he insisted that I played this game, saying that I would love it. He was absolutely right; so naturally when I heard about the sequel, I was excited as can be. This game has an amazing story, fantastic characters, and the controls are great. I absolutely love the seamless mix of gunfights and parkour, and the nonstop action that it provides. Uncharted 2 is undoubtedly my favorite game of 2009, and I honestly can’t think of anything bad to say about it. This game alone might be reason enough for me to get the PS3, and I absolutely give it a 10 out of 10.
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Honestly, if you haven’t even heard of Modern Warfare 2 then you must have spent the last few months living under a rock. Modern Warfare 2 and its predecessor always get a lot of credit for their online multiplayer (my number 1 for the year), but while appreciated, I don’t think that the campaign gets the credit that it truly deserves. The campaign is full of action and it always keeps the player immersed, on top of that the story is superb. The Call of Duty series has always been noted for its story, but this is the first game in the series where I felt a connection to the characters. Also, it is accessible for people of all skills- in the multiplayer the rewards are so abundant that even with a few kills each round the player can have fun and still be rewarded; in the single player the easiest difficulty provides a story which is nearly impossible to die in, while the hardest difficulty (my favorite) requires that even the best players need to take their time, use cover, and even then you will die over and over. Not much has changed in this second installment of the Modern Warfare series besides the story, but there is a new game mode called Spec Ops which is essentially a set of 23 co-op missions that while fun (and frustratingly difficult) do not have much in the way of replay value. All-in-all I would say that Modern Warfare 2 does deserve the praise that it is given and it is a great game for anyone (assuming you are old enough).
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The was a lot of controversy when Left 4 Dead 2 was first announced due to it coming out less than a year after the first game, which was a raging success. From the beginning I felt that complaining about a new Valve game was possibly the stupidest thing that I had ever heard, but when the game came out I was proven right. Left 4 Dead 2 is very much a like the first game in the control scheme and the overall design of the game, but it also has some drastic changes including: double the weapon types, melee weapons, new zombies, two new modes, and an all new story (which has more development than the previous game had). While the graphics are not the best, the game is so chaotic and fun that after 10 minutes of playing one barely even notices. Once again Valve has pulled off an amazing game and this should be in the top 3 of every single best of 2009 list that is out there.
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This sequel might be the greatest improvement between a first and second game that I have ever seen. I loved the first Assassin’s Creed, but it was hugely too repetitive; this game took that and added so much that it is practically a different series. The missions are almost completely varied and there are so many side missions to do, and so many different things that you can buy that you will never find yourself doing the same thing twice in a row. The graphics are great and the mystery behind keeps even the most impatient player continuing in order to find out the truth behind what is going on in Renaissance Italy and in the future. This series is headed in the right direction and if the third game is as drastically different as this second game was, then I guarantee that Assassin’s Creed III will be the game of the year.
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Batman Arkham Asylum is an adventure game when you take the role of Batman in his quest to stop a Joker inspired uprising at The Arkham Asylum. Throughout the game you meet many of Batman’s famous nemeses in your journey to take out the Joker and end the uprising. Although stealth always comes in handy in the game, the way it is set up and with various weapons available in Batman’s utility belt, there are many different approaches that can be taken to accomplish each goal. The game has many different collectables that are so much fun to find and collect that, even after the story I found myself exploring Arkham for hours. The controls are fairly fluid and the graphics are very good at setting up the atmosphere.
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One would think that New Super Mario Bros Wii is just a Wii version of the DS game New Super Mario Bros., I know I did. Well that couldn’t be any farther off (unless Mario wasn’t actually in the game). This is the first Mario Bros. game since the original Super Mario Bros. where multiple players can play simultaneously. The single player game is very much another Mario game, with some new items including the propeller shroom, the penguin suit, and ice flowers. The real change, and the real fun, comes in the multiplayer game. These are the same missions as the single player but the utter chaos that results of having up to 4 players bouncing around knocking each other to their doom is so much fun that it’s hard to describe. The game also brings back Yoshi (the way they were done in the original Super Mario Bros.) and the recovery bubble system from the Yoshi’s Island games. This was this year’s best Wii game of the year with Metroid Prime Trilogy in a close second place, and it is also this year’s best offline multiplayer game.
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inFamous is the first, and only non-sequel that is on this list, and it is one of few that actually came out in this year of sequels. In inFamous you play a man who has awaken in a ruined city and finds that he has the ability to generate and control lightning. inFamous is an adventure where you must figure out your past and in the process decide whether to be the savior of the people of the city, or be the bane of their existence. The story and the moral system for the game are great (as you become more good or more evil, you get more powerful stunning and damaging attacks respectively), but the control can be a little uncomfortable at times. Also, while they are not necessary I found that the side missions tend to be repetitive and boring. inFamous is a wonderful game and the story and the character provide the player with a wonderful experience, despite the dark world that you are exploring.
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Resident Evil is another lasting series, but unlike Street Fighter this newest installment is very different in many ways. The biggest difference and one of the most controversial differences is the inclusion of co-op play. Personally, I think that the co-op is very well done and it doesn’t take away from the horror atmosphere that many people feel has been compromised. Another thing that people have argued about is the fact that it is located in Africa, so naturally the majority of the “zombies” are Black, and this has bothered people although I think that it is in no way unreasonable. Anyway, Resident Evil 5 is a great game that is very well balanced, and I only have two complaints: 1) When playing solo you still have to play with a computer partner and she tends to be more trouble than she is worth, 2) There aren’t any “WOW moments” in the game, by this I mean moments where something so incredible happens that it just blows your mind (great games like Modern Warfare, Metal Gear Solid, and Gears of War will always have a least a few WOW moments). There are a lot of different weapons and rewards so the game has something new to offer every time, and is always fresh and fun.
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This newest installment in the Mario RPG series is the best one since Paper Mario (which it is as good as). The innovations that were added, including the use of Bowser and the presence of minigames are fantastic and they could not have been integrated more cleanly. The story is the best that I have ever seen on the DS and it has gotten praise from all over. The quirky humor and characters provide for a charming atmosphere that anyone can enjoy. Not only is this my 10th favorite game of the year, but it is also my favorite DS game of the year and it is in my top 5 DS games ever.
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